scholarly journals Teaching and learning through Moodle, Google Doc and Zoom: Fostering student engagement in (a)synchronous learning environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 122-136
Author(s):  
Borislava Eraković ◽  
Jagoda Topalov
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Small Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Previous Experience ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Google Docs ◽  
Synchronous Learning Environments

Collaborative online learning depends on the teacher's ability to create conditions for student interaction and engagement. The paper presents the type of activities that can foster them, as well as the results of the investigation into the levels of student engagement in online learning environment which was created by a combination of Moodle, Zoom and Google Documents. The focus is on the level of student engagement in relation to the type of interaction in the online learning environment, their previous experience with blended learning and their overall attitudes toward online classes. Toward this end, a convergent parallel mixed methods study was conducted by means of a 30-item questionnaire constructed for the purpose of this study. The questionnaire included both Likert-scale questions, aimed at collecting quantitative data, and open-ended questions, aimed at collecting qualitative data. Qualitative analysis of the respondents' comments reveals that online tools are most valued for their interactive and collaborative potential (the availability of emoticons, chatting and screen sharing in Zoom, the possibility of small group collaboration in Zoom Rooms and whole class collaboration in Google Docs). The most important quantitative results reveal that all students report medium to high levels of online classroom engagement in the presented scenarios. However, while the students who had previous experience with blended learning constructed their engagement on the basis of both online peer collaboration (in Zoom Rooms) and teacher-fronted instruction (Zoom), those with no previous experience with blended learning formed their engagement only on the basis of small group work (Zoom Rooms).

scholarly journals Synkrone online læringsmiljøer – didaktisk design for synkron undervisning understøttet af digitale teknologier

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karsten Gynther ◽  
Ove Christensen ◽  
Rasmus Jørnø
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Synchronous Learning ◽  
Synchronous Learning Environments

Synkrone online læringsmiljøer muliggør realisering af en didaktisk praksis, der synkront kobler forskellige kontekster. Forskning i og udvikling af didaktiske principper, som kan guide uddannelsesudviklere og undervisere i deres arbejde med at udvikle didaktiske designs for synkrone læringsmiljøer, er imidlertid kun i sin spæde vorden. I denne artikel introduceres til et overordnet designframework for synkrone onlinelæringsmiljøer samt en række konkrete didaktiske principper, som eksemplificeres med en række designeksempler. Det overordnede framework rummer tre dimensioner i et didaktisk design for synkrone læringsmiljøer, der i kort form kan præsenteres som: a) simulering af tilstedeværelsesundervisning, b) remediering af tilstedeværelsesundervisning og c) innovativ transformation af tilstedeværelsesundervisning.Abstract in EnglishSynchronous online learning environments allow the realization of a didactic practice that creates contextual couplings. Research and development of didactic principles to guide teachers and developers of education in developing designs for synchronous learning environments is however still in its infancy. This article introduces a series of new conceptual tools and didactical principles for online learning environment and includes a general design framework for synchronous online learning environments and concrete didactic principles exemplified through a set of design examples. The framework outlines three dimensions of a didactic design: a) simulation of face-to-face teaching, b) remediation of face-to-face teaching and c) innovative transformation of face-to-face teaching.

scholarly journals The Efficiency of Online Learning Environment for Implementing Project-Based Learning: Students' Perceptions

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Atef Mohammad Abuhmaid
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
The Impact

Project-based learning is gaining increasing popularity supported by research studies regarding its effectiveness for teaching and learning. In addition, the widespread of digital technologies and sudden disruptions to traditional in-person teaching have accelerated the adoption of online learning. The current study examined students' perceptions of the impact of online learning environment on project-based teaching method. Most universities worldwide have considered online learning encouraging their faculty to use online learning tools, and Hashemite University in Jordan is no exeption. 154 students studying Computers in Education course were selected during the first semester of the academic year 2019/2020 and were devided into two groups. The experimental group consisted of 75 students who studied the course online and 79 students in the control group who studied the course in a face-to-face mode. For the purpose of gathering data, a questionnaire was developed which consisted of 17 items and students' answers were on a four-point Likert scale: 4= strongly agree, 3= agree, 2= disagree, and 1= strongly disagree. Means, standard deviations, and One-Way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed positive attitudes among students (both online and in-class) toward project-based learning. In addition, the results showed that in-class students had a stronger views of project based-learning than online learning students.

Strategies for Engaging Students in the Online Environment

2020 ◽  
pp. 305-326
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. Whiter
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Student Interaction ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Instructional Technologies ◽  
Course Content

Creating an engaging course environment requires a conscious effort from faculty to utilize course design, teaching methods, and instructional technologies that foster high levels of student interaction. Instructional technologies paired with effective pedagogies are making student engagement in online environments rich and meaningful. The use of instructional technologies is linked to student engagement in the online learning environment. Utilization of instructional technologies should address three major types of interaction: student interaction with course content, the faculty, and their learning peers. The use of instructional technologies to engage students can also increase students' motivation for their learning by increasing student value for course content. This chapter addresses specific strategies for utilization of course design, pedagogies, and instructional technologies to incorporate student interaction and develop and maintain students' motivation in their learning.

Game-Based Learning in an Online Environment

2021 ◽  
pp. 828-846
Author(s):  
Stephen Ko ◽  
Eric Kong
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Online Class ◽  
Online Distance Learning ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
Learning Team

A game-based learning team exercise was specifically designed as a teaching tool which aimed to unlock the black box of cultivating student engagement in an online learning environment. In the exercise, online distance learning students were divided into police and prisoner groups whereby they were required to use different resources for catching the prisoners or for escaping from the police on a virtual map. The team exercise helped to create an innovative online learning environment that was active, cooperative, and encouraged student engagement, these being some of the key elements to enhance the quality of student experience. To evaluate the effectiveness of this exercise, an experiment was conducted using survey data from undergraduate students in an online learning environment. Results showed that the online class with a team-based activity had significantly higher scores in students' behavioral engagement than the other online class without a team-based activity while the differences in cognitive and emotional engagements were not significant.

scholarly journals Academic Writing Within An Online Learning Environment: Assessing The Impact Of Peer Evaluation On Lesson Planning, Execution & Assessment

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Karen Sanderson Cole ◽  
Danielle Watson
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Lesson Planning ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Peer Evaluation ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
The Impact

Peer evaluation, as a learning strategy, is commonly used among educators in an attempt to promote higher performance goals and improved teaching and learning outcomes through the sharing of complementary proficiencies for a familiar intent. It is commonly viewed as a technique for raising the bar' through exposing educators to alternative perspectives. Within the online learning environment, there is a high degree of isolation among educators involved in the delivery of the same course. Although individuals interact in established teacher forums about administrative issues, a forum is not provided where interaction about teaching content, delivery and conceptualization of critical concepts can be explored and discussed. As such, the provision of a forum for collaboration among peers involved in different aspects of course delivery within the online learning environment is believed to address the issue of isolated instruction while also providing support and evaluation as to the effectiveness of teaching strategies employed. The aim of the research is to investigate the impact of an established peer partnership between 14 colleagues working in pairs geared towards assessing feedback and discussions on lesson planning, execution and assessment processes. It seeks to ascertain its usefulness as a strategy to be incorporated into the teaching of English for Academic Purposes within an online learning environment. The study seeks to provide actionable direction for peer evaluation and collaboration, as a teaching and learning tool, through the mapping, assessing and evaluation of the processes involved.

scholarly journals A peer-observation initiative to enhance student engagement in the synchronous virtual classroom: A case study of a COVID-19 mandated move to online learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 184-205
Author(s):  
Lesley Andrew ◽  
◽  
Ruth Wallace ◽  
Ros Sambell ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Peer Observation ◽  
Learning And Teaching

The global COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a rapid shift to online delivery in higher education. This learning and teaching environment is associated with reduced student engagement, a crucial prerequisite of student satisfaction, retention and success. This paper presents a case study that explored student engagement in the synchronous virtual learning environment, during the mandatory move to exclusive online learning in Australian higher education in April to June 2020. Three university instructors used the Teaching and Learning Circles Model to observe a series of their peers' synchronous virtual classrooms, from which they reflected on ways to enhance their own practice. The findings demonstrate how student engagement in these classrooms can be strengthened across the four constructs of Kahu and Nelson’s (2018) engagement conceptual framework: belonging; emotional response; wellbeing and self-efficacy. The case study also reveals limitations of the synchronous virtual environment as a means of supporting student engagement in the online learning and teaching environment, and proposes ways to address them. Against emerging reports of increased mental health issues among isolated university students during the current pandemic, the case study's recommendations to improve student wellbeing and belonging are particularly salient. This article also highlights the usefulness of the Teaching and Learning Circles Model of peer observation as a way to guide its participants' reflections on their own practice, support their collegiality with academic peers and build their confidence and competence in the synchronous virtual learning environment.

Asynchronous Teaching and Learning in IB English A

2021 ◽  
pp. 406-415
Author(s):  
Evangelos Syropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Student Collaboration ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Teaching Learning

This chapter focuses on the benefits of incorporating asynchronous tasks, activities, components in the teaching of IB English A: Literature Yr. 1. Taking into consideration the unique challenges of the new syllabus, the author shows how asynchronous teaching/learning may enable teachers to cover in depth many literary texts, by running concurrently F2F/synchronous and asynchronous classes. Particular emphasis is placed on how low-immediacy and low-bandwidth tools may contribute to teacher-student and student-student collaboration. The author also reflects on how the use of asynchronous components smoothened the transition to an exclusively online learning environment after the closing of the schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Measurement in K–12 Online Learning Environments

2021 ◽  
pp. 624-638
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Student Behaviors ◽  
Latent Constructs ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
K 12

The measurement of online latent constructs, such as student engagement, have mimicked the measurement of these constructs in traditional, brick-and-mortar learning environments. For brick-and-mortar K-12 schools and online K-12 schools there are challenges that need to be addressed to establish a measure with support for validity. Measurement in an online learning environment has different accessibility and data collection requirements. The online learning environment lends itself well to the use of student behaviors to measure latent constructs, including student engagement. The behaviors of students in an online learning environment are regularly documented. This chapter will delve into the ways latent constructs, using student engagement as an example/case study, are currently being measured in the K-12 online learning environment and alternatives to these measures mimicking traditional brick-and-mortar measures.

scholarly journals Digitising a Learning Activity: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jowati Juhary
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Online Learning Environment ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Digital Format ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

As the world faces the new landcape in teaching and learning due to COVID-19, the pandemic, the strategies and approaches use for teaching and learning must ensure that no one students are not without digital resources. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities faced by the researcher and her students when a learning activity previously implemented in face-to-face sessions was transferred into an online learning environment. The learning activity, known as Work-the-Walk (WTW), is a transformative learning activity designed by the researcher, and the researcher has filed for a copyright of WTW. The objectives of this paper are to identify the challenges and opportunities raised by transferring WTW to a digital format, and ultimately to suggest the best ways to make the transition from a physical learning activity to a digital format effectively. Qualitative approach to research was used to obtain data for analysis and discussion. Preliminary findings suggest that the Digital WTW (D-WTW) present two main challenges and two main opportunities for both the researcher and students. Given this, the education providers must be willing to encourage the educators to provide various approaches to teaching and learning, as well as to promote experiments with various existing learning strategies used in face-to-face sessions, and to transfer them to be used in an online learning environment.

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